Unraveling the Mysteries of Dark Matter and Dark Energy

Electromagnetic property serves as a critical marker of a substance’s energy level, as well as the core criterion determining whether matter can be observed, interact with other objects, and form ordered structures. Dark matter and dark energy reside at low energy levels and lack electromagnetic properties. According to the second law of thermodynamics, heat can only spontaneously transfer from high-energy systems to low-energy ones, rather than the reverse. Devoid of electromagnetic properties, dark matter and dark energy persist in a quiescent low-energy state and fail to engage in effective interactions with high-energy detection systems. They cannot emit, reflect or absorb electromagnetic waves, which constitutes the fundamental reason why they evade direct observation.

Dark matter possesses mass and generates gravitational force, forming the skeletal framework of cosmic structures and providing the mass foundation for spacetime itself. By contrast, dark energy is massless and structure-free. It only produces cosmic repulsion via negative pressure and drives the accelerated expansion of space.

A Unified Interpretation of Dark Matter and Dark Energy Based on the Three-Term Energy Framework

From the perspective of energy hierarchy, the particle intrinsic energy structure established in this paper:

E = \gamma m c^2 + \frac{e^2}{k_e} + \frac{g_s^2}{k_s}

delivers a self-consistent and unified physical interpretation of the three fundamental cosmic components: visible matter, dark matter and dark energy.

Ordinary visible matter boasts a complete energy-level configuration, containing all three components: relativistic mass energy, charge topological energy and color charge topological energy. It therefore participates simultaneously in gravitational, electromagnetic and strong interactions, forming atoms, stars and macroscopic material systems — the only form of matter fully characterized by conventional physical theories.

Dark matter corresponds to a material form at a lower energy tier. Its energy level is insufficient to excite charge and free local color charge structures, making the charge topological energy term and color charge topological energy term identically zero, with only the relativistic mass-energy term \gamma m c^2 retained. This naturally accounts for the observed traits of dark matter: it produces no electromagnetic radiation, does not partake in strong interactions, cannot undergo chemical reactions or energy level transitions, and only binds cosmic structures through gravitational effects derived from mass energy. Dark matter is not a strange new type of particle; it represents a minimalist low-energy configuration where all subtle microscopic topological energy structures of conventional matter have fully de-excited.

Dark energy occupies an even lower energy tier than dark matter. Its energy density and degree of condensation fail to satisfy the physical conditions required to form valid mass-energy gravitational structures, and it completely loses the capacity to engage in gravitational binding. Once a material system’s energy level drops below the gravitational coupling threshold, the original cohesive gravitational effect vanishes. Macroscopically, its dynamic behavior manifests as dispersion and repulsion of space, generating the repulsive effect known as dark energy that fuels cosmic expansion.

English Manuscript (Academic journal standard, cosmology terminology conforming to APS/MNRAS conventions; mathematical notations preserved unchanged)

Paper

The Destiny of Energy: Origin of Dark Matter and Dark Energy via Energy-Level Degradation

Author: Suhang Zhang

Affiliation: Luoyang, Henan, China

Date: August 2026

Abstract

The standard ΛCDM cosmological model treats dark matter and dark energy as mutually independent entities: dark matter is hypothesised to arise from new fundamental particles, whereas dark energy is attributed to the cosmological constant. Rooted in the foundational postulate that energy constitutes the sole physical reality, this paper proposes that dark matter and dark energy represent two downstream branches stemming from continuous energy degradation of ordinary matter. When physical systems dissipate energy and their temperatures approach absolute zero, gauge couplings become suppressed, electromagnetic and weak degrees of freedom freeze, and baryonic matter transitions into the Baryonic Dark Remnant (BDR) state manifesting observational signatures of dark matter. Further degradation below a critical temperature triggers a sign reversal of gravitation, switching local gravitational attraction to global cosmic repulsion, namely dark energy.

The present framework reduces the trichotomous classification of matter–dark matter–dark energy into stationary states lying on a continuous energy-level spectrum, furnishing unified physical explanations for three outstanding puzzles: the superluminal expansion paradox (characterised by energy reduction rather than mass inflation), persistent null outcomes in direct dark-matter detection (caused by frozen non-gravitational interactions), and the dynamical evolution of dark energy interpreted as slowly accumulating spacetime vacuum tension.

Two falsifiable observational predictions are put forward: (1) systematic temporal deviation whereby the dark-energy equation-of-state parameter w evolves toward −1; (2) smaller gravitational-lensing deflection angles around ultra-cold compact celestial objects relative to Newtonian gravitational predictions. Constrained by Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN), the proposed degradation mechanism accounts for at most 18% of the total dark-matter density; the remaining fraction necessitates undiscovered new particles. Nonetheless, this mechanism supplies an evolutionary astrophysical origin for the ultra-cold subcomponent of dark matter.

Keywords: dark matter; dark energy; energy-level degradation; gravitational sign inversion; approach toward absolute zero; BDR

1. Introduction

While the ΛCDM paradigm has achieved remarkable success accounting for large-scale cosmic structure, cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations and cosmic accelerated expansion, it suffers from three profound foundational dilemmas:

- The intrinsic nature of dark matter remains elusive. Decades of direct-detection experiments including XENONnT and LZ have yielded no definitive particle signals within the predicted WIMP parameter space[1]; axion searches have likewise yielded no conclusive breakthroughs[2]. The tension between null experimental results and theoretical predictions continues to intensify.

- The physical origin of dark energy is poorly understood. The empirically measured value of cosmological constant \Lambda deviates from vacuum-energy density predictions of quantum field theory by 120 orders of magnitude[3], constituting the worst quantitative mismatch in the history of theoretical physics. Though dynamical dark-energy models deliver adequate data fitting, they lack rigorous underlying physical motivation[4].

- Mass–velocity paradox associated with superluminal cosmic expansion: remote galaxies exhibit recession velocities exceeding the speed of light, yet special relativity forbids massive bodies from attaining local superluminal motion. The mainstream interpretation that spatial expansion does not equate to proper physical motion amounts merely to coordinate redefinition and fails to address the core physical question: why does mass divergence from the relativistic mass formula not trigger cosmic structural rupture?

This paper argues that the aforementioned three predicaments originate from an identical taxonomic fallacy: mistaking distinct physical states of matter for fundamentally distinct species of substance. We contend that ordinary matter, dark matter and dark energy are not discrete substances but three phases of the same underlying physical reality (energy) occupying different energy tiers. Cosmic evolution essentially constitutes a cooling phase-transition history, wherein energy steadily degenerates from high-energy concentrated local configurations toward low-energy diffuse distributions.

2. Energy Degradation Spectrum: From Baryonic Matter to Dark Matter and Dark Energy

2.1 Baryonic Dark Remnant State (BDR)

Define the de-excitation factor \zeta\in[0,1] as the ratio between instantaneous local energy density and the energy density under fully excited ordinary-matter conditions:

\zeta = \frac{E_{\text{local}} - E_{\text{ground}}}{E_{\text{excited}} - E_{\text{ground}}}

Long-term radiative dissipation and dynamical relaxation gradually deplete the local energy density of baryonic objects including stars, gas clouds and planetary bodies, following the temporal evolution relation:

\zeta(t) = \zeta_0 e^{-t/\tau}

where \tau denotes the characteristic cosmic de-excitation timescale (measured in gigayears Gyrs), consistent with the declining star-formation history[5]. Once \zeta falls beneath the critical threshold \zeta_{\text{DM}}, electromagnetic and weak-interaction cross sections are suppressed to negligible magnitudes, and matter transitions to the BDR (Baryonic Dark Remnant) state:

\sigma_{\text{EM}} \propto \zeta^2,\quad \sigma_{\text{weak}} \propto \zeta^4

BDR constituents retain gravitational interactions, since gravitational coupling scales as \sim E/m_{\text{Pl}}^2 and remains unaffected by symmetry breaking, thereby reproducing dark-matter observational properties. This mechanism naturally accounts for three key observational phenomena:

1. Null detection outcomes: terrestrial detectors operate based on weak-interaction signatures, whereas weak-interaction degrees of freedom are frozen within BDR matter.

2. Missing baryon problem: a fraction of the observationally missing 30%–40% cosmic baryon budget[6] has undergone de-excitation into diffuse BDR permeating galactic haloes.

3. Rigorous BBN constraint: complete de-excitation of all baryonic matter contributes at most \Omega_{\text{DM}}\times(4.8\%/26\%)\approx18.4\% of total dark-matter density[7]; the residual dark-matter component must be attributed to exotic new particles.

2.2 Gravitational Inversion: Phase Transition from BDR to Dark Energy

As BDR temperatures continue to converge toward absolute zero (T\to0), the de-excitation factor declines below a second critical bound \zeta_{\text{DE}}, driving the system into a hyper-de-excited phase characterised by flipped gravitational polarity.

Within the framework of general relativity, gravitational sources are encapsulated by the effective energy–momentum tensor. For a homogeneous, isotropic Friedmann universe, the cosmic acceleration equation reads:

\frac{\ddot{a}}{a}=-\frac{4\pi G}{3}(\rho+3P)

in which \rho stands for energy density and P denotes thermodynamic pressure. Ordinary matter and BDR dark matter satisfy P\ge0, yielding \rho+3P>0 and attractive gravitation. Upon full de-excitation into dark energy, material gravitational binding energy converts into intrinsic spacetime vacuum tension obeying the dark-energy equation of state:

P_{\text{DE}}=-\rho_{\text{DE}} \implies \rho_{\text{DE}}+3P_{\text{DE}}=-2\rho_{\text{DE}}<0

The sign reversal transforms global gravitation from attraction to repulsion, switching cosmic evolution from decelerated to accelerated expansion. In this formalism, dark energy is interpreted as the net physical effect whereby gravitational binding energy is released back into spacetime once matter degenerates sufficiently such that \zeta<\zeta_{\text{DE}}.

2.3 Temperature as the Order Parameter Governing Phase Transitions

Explicitly formulate the de-excitation factor as a temperature-dependent function:

\zeta(T)=1-\left(\frac{T}{T_c}\right)^\alpha,\quad \alpha>0

where T_c denotes the critical de-excitation temperature, estimated on the magnitude 10^{-3}\sim10^{-2}\,\text{K}, comparable to the present-day cosmic microwave background temperature of 2.7 K.

- T\gg T_c: \zeta\approx1, fully excited ordinary matter with active coupling constants and attractive gravitation;

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- T\approx T_c: \zeta=\zeta_{\text{DM}}, BDR emerges, and dark matter dominates cosmic structure formation;

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- T\ll T_c: \zeta\to0, gravitational inversion occurs, and dark energy governs accelerated cosmic expansion.

Key corollary: dark-energy density cannot remain constant throughout cosmic history; it gradually increases as cosmic temperatures decline and continuous BDR de-excitation generates additional dark energy. Accordingly, the dark-energy equation-of-state parameter evolves cosmically with redshift:

w(z)=-1+\epsilon\cdot(1+z)^{-\beta}

where \beta>0 correlates with the intrinsic de-excitation dynamical timescale. Recent DESI observational data hint toward mild dynamical variation in w[8], for which the present framework furnishes a physical origin.

3. Resolution of the Superluminal Expansion Paradox

Under standard cosmological assumptions, Hubble’s law v=H_0 d predicts superluminal galactic recession velocities for d>c/H_0. The relativistic mass relation m=\gamma m_0 seemingly produces mathematical divergence at superluminal speeds, constituting an apparent physical paradox.

This paper advances an alternative physical interpretation: cosmic "expansion" does not correspond to proper bodily motion through static spacetime but constitutes an observational projection of system-wide energy-level degradation across the universe. Cosmological redshift z does not originate primarily from Doppler kinematic shifts; instead, photon frequencies undergo passive attenuation owing to the universal reduction of the cosmic energy scale:

\frac{\nu_{\text{obs}}}{\nu_{\text{emit}}}=\frac{\zeta(t_{\text{obs}})}{\zeta(t_{\text{emit}})}=\frac{1}{1+z}

So‑called superluminal recession corresponds to cumulative energy degradation quantified by \zeta along long-distance photon trajectories that attenuate photon energies drastically. Cosmological sources experience spatial cooling rather than physical acceleration.

The Lorentz factor \gamma in relativistic mass formulas no longer generates mathematical divergence, since coordinate velocity v is merely a frame-dependent artificial parameter. The fundamental physical observable remains the monotonically decreasing de-excitation factor \zeta\in[0,1] devoid of singularities. Superluminal cosmic recession constitutes an energy-scale problem rather than a kinematic velocity problem.

4. Dual Falsifiable Observational Predictions

4.1 Prediction 1: Dynamical Evolution of the Dark-Energy Equation of State

Given that dark energy accumulates via prolonged BDR degradation, its energy density ought to rise slowly over cosmic time. This manifests as the equation-of-state parameter w gradually evolving toward −1, with potential transient crossing into the phantom regime w<-1 in the far cosmic future.

Contemporary measurements yield w=-0.95\pm0.05[8], statistically consistent with the cosmological constant value w=-1 within observational error margins. The proposed model predicts that high-precision forthcoming observations from Euclid and the Roman Space Telescope will detect a non-zero systematic gradient in w(z):

\left.\frac{dw}{dz}\right|_{z=0}>0

meaning w deviates further from −1 at higher redshifts.

Detection of a strictly time-constant w within ten years would empirically falsify the dark-energy branch of the present theoretical framework.

4.2 Prediction 2: Anomalous Gravitational-Lensing Deflection around Ultra-Cold Compact Objects

Ancient white dwarfs and rogue planetary remnants residing within the Galactic halo undergo prolonged thermal cooling approaching absolute zero, qualifying as BDR progenitors. Portions of their mass degrade below the threshold \zeta_{\text{DE}}, generating weak repulsive gravitational corrections.

Such corrections modify gravitational-lensing deflection angles following the relation:

\theta=\theta_{\text{Newton}}\cdot\bigl(1-\eta\cdot\zeta^2\bigr)

where \eta denotes a dimensionless model constant. For ultra-cold white dwarfs with surface temperatures below 1000 K, the model predicts deflection angles smaller than Newtonian theoretical values by roughly 10^{-5}\sim10^{-4} arcseconds. Next-generation sub-milliarcsecond astrometric surveys including extended GAIA datasets and VLBI interferometry can test this deviation; absence of the predicted anomaly would rule out the proposed degradation mechanism.

5. Conclusions

Building upon the core premise that energy comprises fundamental physical reality, this paper constructs a continuous evolutionary degradation sequence connecting ordinary baryonic matter, BDR dark matter and dark energy. Principal findings are summarised as follows:

1. Dark matter (BDR) constitutes the primary product of moderate energy-level degradation of baryonic matter: electromagnetic and weak interactions become kinetically frozen whilst gravitational coupling persists, reproducing all observational dark-matter signatures. BBN cosmological constraints restrict its fractional contribution to total dark matter to at most 18%, requiring exotic new-particle physics for the remaining component.

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2. Dark energy emerges in the secondary degradation stage wherein heavily cooled BDR undergoes gravitational polarity reversal; cosmic accelerated expansion derives from gravitational binding energy converted into distributed spacetime vacuum tension.

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3. The superluminal cosmic expansion paradox is naturally resolved within the de‑excitation-factor formalism: cosmological redshift arises from global energy-scale attenuation rather than kinematic Doppler motion, eliminating mass singularities in relativistic kinematic equations.

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4. Two distinct falsifiable observational predictions concerning the dynamical dark-energy equation of state and modified lensing around frigid compact stars equip the model with stringent empirical test criteria.

The present theoretical framework reorganises the three disjoint cosmic constituents defined under ΛCDM into a unified continuous energy-degradation spectrum, establishing a minimally hypothesised physical model explaining the origins of dark matter and dark energy without ad-hoc introduction of extraneous physical postulates. Should future astronomical observations validate its quantitative predictions, modern cosmology will transition from a primarily classificatory discipline toward an evolutionary paradigm centred upon cosmic energy dynamics.